Tire uniformity testing systems are used throughout the tire manufacturing and automotive industries. These machines check tire uniformity parameters on manufactured tires. Many of the testing functions are fully automated. In particular, tires are fed by a conveyor to a tire testing station where they are clamped between tire rims, inflated and then placed in rolling contact with a loadwheel. At the conclusion of the test, the rims are separated and the tires are delivered to an exit location by another conveyor.
The rims that are used to clamp the tires at the testing station must be sized to fit the tire being tested. Accordingly, when the size of the tires that are being tested changes, the rim set must also be changed. In many systems, this is performed by the operator, sometimes with the aid of a lifting device. The changing of rims can be time-consuming and strenuous.